NASA's First Commercial Crew Mission Returns from Orbit After Historic 4-Month Journey

Watch Live as SpaceX's Private Crew Returns from Polar Orbit

SpaceX is set to bring its private crew back to Earth today, after a historic mission that saw the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft orbit the planet at an unprecedented altitude.

The Crew Dragon, named "Inspiration4," launched into space on September 15 with four private citizens on board, including Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur and pilot, and three other passengers. The mission was designed to test the capabilities of the Crew Dragon spacecraft and to raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

The crew spent three days in space, reaching an altitude of over 360 miles (579 kilometers) – higher than any other commercial spacecraft has gone before. During their time in space, the crew conducted scientific experiments, tested the spacecraft's systems, and took in the stunning views of the Earth from the window of the spacecraft.

Now, the Crew Dragon is on its way back to Earth, with the crew preparing to splash down into the Atlantic Ocean. The landing is expected to occur around 8:00 AM ET, and you can watch it live on SpaceX's website or on the company's YouTube channel.

The Inspiration4 mission marks a major milestone for SpaceX, which has been working towards establishing a human presence in space for years. The company has already launched several successful missions to the International Space Station, and is now working on developing its Starship spacecraft, which is designed to take humans to the Moon and beyond.

The Inspiration4 mission is a significant step forward for SpaceX's plans to make space travel more accessible to civilians. The company has already announced plans to launch several more commercial missions to space in the coming years, and the success of this mission will likely pave the way for even more ambitious projects in the future.